Chasing Shadows

[Riamah]

As time progressed, Ailuros started changing. She was still a very curious creature, but she was growing up and turning into an adult. Picking her words more carefully and acted with more thought, her mind developed as she took in more knowledge.

All this knowledge was new to her and took in as much that was offered. As of yet, she didn't feel a calling for a specific path to follow in terms of knowledge. After reading the various codes, she didn't feel the one of the Jedi fit her. Through everything though and all her lessons, Ailuros did not feel the need to move on. She felt at home and welcome with Daxton. Having the feeling there was still much more to learn, she kept taking all the lessons provided.

On the physical side of things, her body changed only slightly. Where there may have been some residue of fat left over from being young, that had gone. Replaced by muscle now, but still clearly female. She attempted to use various weapons, but still preferred her sword. The one she had crafted specifically for her.

She was going through some simple katas when she felt him reach out to her. Stopping in mid motion, her sword lowered and her twitched one of her ears. He was summoning her to join him. Knowing where to go, she placed her sword in its scabbard and left the training area. Following the directions in case the lay out of the ship had changed, it was only a few minutes it took for her to arrive.

The door opened in front of her and she walked into the darkened room. It was different, more solemn. A silence she felt odd in breaking, so the cat remained silent. It would be clear she was still curious though.

Taking a seat near to Daxton, she looked at her master and waited on him to break the silence.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

Two sat as still statues, neither speaking on acknowledging the other, as if this was a contest of wills, a challenge to see who would break first. Daxton’s breathing seemed almost as silent as a sigh, so much so that it would seemed to [member="Ailuros"] she could hear her heart beating so loudly in her chest.

Although he did not look at her directly, she would have the sensation the he was observing. Watching and waiting with unblinking eyes in the dark....

 

[Riamah]

The cat was uncertain on what Daxton wanted from her, she tried to sit still and be patient. It was something she had been working on, but there were times when she couldn't control herself. After what seemed like an eternity to her, Ailuros still sat looking at Daxton.

That urge to take a cat nap surfaced, but she knew he wouldn't appreciate it. Her tail tip waved slightly and she tapped it on the floor of the room. A sign she may not be as patient as she appeared.

While still learning about the Force, she knew he was observing her. What he did, she couldn't know, but it didn't feel like an attack of any kind.

Her eyes blinking at him, she did look directly at him and while her patience was wearing thing, she wasn't mad or irritated. It was true curiosity that drove her.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

When he did speak, there was a strong sense of iron and steel, confident in both himself and what he asked of others. While he remained utterly still, [member="Ailuros"] could clearly hear his voice inside her head.

“What would you do if you were in a life or death situation, the enemy takes in wait, ready to spring the trap that will catch you should you make any obvious moves. Patience is the key, now more than ever. Be the calm fount, the unmovable rock, upon which all hopes and ambitions are dashed.”

“I had called you here, because the first part of your training is nearly done. So far, you have made excllent progress with both the Force and martial training which pleases me greatly. Now it is time to expand on that even further. Do you see the white cup in front of you? Drink its contents and await further instructions.”

Ailuros could swear that when she arrived there was no one else,pthere. Nor did she see or hear anyone arrive into the room and yet right before eyes a small porcelain cup.

 

[Riamah]

While the room remained silent, Daxton spoke to her through the Force. In a way, he gave her a reprimand for twitching her tail and in that way failed a test he had been giving her. Her ears slanting to the side and whiskers drooping slightly, she learned the lesson he was trying to teach her. That natural urge to move still needed to be worked on and she understood that.

He continued on and said the first part of training done. Having a clear understanding of some Force basics and bettered her combat skills, she nodded. Tilting her head, her ears and whiskers perking up when he asked if she saw the white cup. Nodding when it appeared, she was learning not to be too surprised when things happened around him. The command was given for her to drink what was in it and wait for further orders.

Getting up, Ailuros went to the cup and drank what was inside. The darkness of the room prevented her from really seeing what was in it. The taste wasn't anything like she had before and couldn't decide if she liked it or not. Setting the cup down, the cat returned to her spot where she had been sitting previously.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

“Essence of anguish, the tears of the betrayed, stirred by the howls of the dead and forgotten. Pearl of naught, windless breath pn the carrion plain of desolation. I call all spirits, bound by blood, flesh and bone, heed my call. Awake, awake from your deep slumber, nightmares made real, dreaming the perfect dream of aeons long since forgotten. Take us, take us to the door, strange and foreboding, a contract signed, a pact seal. I command you awake......awake.......AWAKE!!!!”

The words tumbled over and over [member="Ailuros"] head as the world began to spin all around her, each breathe she took grew more labored as the seemed to fall in slow motion to the floor.

Her eyes were closed, blanket tucked over her head and she dug deeper into the bed. Someone was shaking the bed so hard she teeth were chattering in her head.

 

[Riamah]

Not knowing if things were real or false in mind after drinking the potion, Ailuros heard the words she thought were spoken by Daxton. They were ritually said and carried a power behind them she had never known before.

Falling to the floor before she reached her seat, the world spun around her. Breathing became difficult, but somehow she drew in enough ragged breaths to stay alive.

Unknowingly, she was put into her bed and in the sleepless rest brought upon her, she drew the cover up over her head and curled into a little ball. Like a child of any race, she sought comfort where she could.

The vision brought on with the words, she seemed to flying over an arid plain, dotted with sparse trees. There was life here, but nothing she was familiar with. Not afraid of the unknown, there was something sinister here. As she flew, as if she was in a ship, things got rough. Air turbulence and her teeth were chattering in her head.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

Once more the bed where [member="Ailuros"] got jarred rather hard as heavy smothering voice grunted softly and said, “Get up! Sleepy Head! Time enough to dream when you are dead. You time here is rather short, least I say you slept in my report. The sun is up, no need for tomorrow. Least of all with those with no time to borrow.”

The voice was rythmic and deep, reminding her of old men telling amusing tales of times when they were young. Should she peek open an eye, she would see a massive form looming over the bed. So large it could probably throw shade over a wookie, all exposed flesh seemed scarred with ritual marks probably self inflicted. Everything was bathed in a dull red light, with nary a spot of other color to provide contrast.

 

[Riamah]

At the last jarring and command to open her eyes and wake up, the cat did just that. The light around her was red and the form that was huge cast a long shadow over everything. She could see nothing behind or around him because he was so large.

"What is this? Who are you? Where am I?"

The questions spilled out, but were slightly slurred still due to sleep. She had been sleeping soundly instead of it being a cat nap and light sleep.
​
Taking in what she could see of the figure, there were crude, but clear marking on his body. Some were fine, but most appeared to be done by hand with a took that she had no clue what it might have been.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

The creature laughed mirthfully, a low rumble that seemed to shake the room from its very sound. Standing on two legs as thick as a tree trunk, it clapped its four hands in riotous celebration, as its bug like eyes gazed, taking both sight and smells of her. A light colored fabric wrapped around its torso as a gesture to modesty.

“Questions, questions, three you ask.”
“Answer my riddle, and I aid your task.”

“Mountains will crumble and temples will fall, and no man can survive its endless call. What am I?”

Apparently, the creature thought it was playing some sort of game with @Ailuros. In order for to get some answers she would need to figure out the riddle it posed to her.

 

[Riamah]

Looking at the large figure, Ailuros didn't actually feel threatened by it. Sitting up in the bed and tilting her head curiously, she looked at it in the same manner it looked at her. It clapped its hands almost as it spoke. In a riddle like way, it asked her a question. It appeared to be a rather simple one.

"Time. Nobody and nothing can escape that."

Confident in her answer, her tail flicked a bit behind her getting into this game a little.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

“Very good, very good. I am glad to see.”
“Smarter than the last. Smart as a bee.”

“Ask me two questions you may,”
“Answer truthfully that I will say.”

“After that another riddle you must answer,”
“If we are to continue with our banter.”

It replied to [member="Ailuros"], giving her time enough to think of what to ask. Would it be the obvious question or a carefully selected inquiry.

 

[Riamah]

Listening to what the creature said, Ailuros could ask it two questions before another riddle would be posed to her. After it spoke, it fell silent and waited for her to ask the questions she thought of. Assuming it would tell her the truth, she did take a few moments to actually consider what to ask. Going off what she asked earlier, she still felt they were still the best to ask.

"What is this place?"

​That was the first she asked of the creature. The second was a little longer in coming as she waited on an answer to the first.

"Who or what are you? You can pick which one to answer."

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

“What is this place? This castle made of bone,”
“Flesh and Though that I call a home.”
“Neither here or there.”
“Time here has no place to bear.”
“For I am dead and long since gone.”
“Yet in the flesh, I still go on.”
“This gilded cage where I dwell.”
“Some call it heaven, others call it hell.”
“Could this be a dream or all in you head?”
“Perhaps you are still asleep in your bed.”

“What am I, now you ask?”
“Are you sure, you’re up for the task?”
“My race is old and solitary.”
“We like peace as long as we can carry.”
“Travel far, travel wide.”
“Where I go, carve on my hide.”
“Rich in travels that I’m posh.”
“I am a Bosph, you may call me Kosh.”

“Lovely and round, I shine with pale light, grown in the darkness, A lady's delight. What am I?”
“Answer right, Answer true.”
“Answer quick or turn blue.”
“Two more questions you will have.”
“Or speak plain will I, if you want to save.”

[member="Ailuros"]

 

[Riamah]

Figuring out she wasn't going to get a straight answer from this creature, Ailuros listened to what it said though. The first part confused her entirely, but the second part made a little more sense.

The odd markings on its body were a map to where it had travelled. She still didn't know if it was male or female, so did not apply a gender to it. It gave her as clear of an answer and she nodded. When it asked another riddle, she had to give it a bit of thought.

"I would at first think of a moon as that grows in darkness, but not all places have moons and some can be seen in the day so it's not that..."

Smoothing the covers, she gave it more thought and looked at them as she did it. The look of focus on her face would be obvious if the creature could see it. Several sentences were started, but never finished until the cat was sure of her answer and looked up at Kosh.

"A pearl from an clam or oyster. It would be nice to speak plain, but I am having fun with this too."

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

“Smart you are, my child. Much more than the one who came before you. You will forgive if my words are hard to understand, my race speaks with sights and smells. It took me quite long to learn to communicate if ways you do.”

“You may call me Kosh if it pleases you. I doubt my name truth will be utterable using mere sounds. May I know your name?” It asked [member="Ailuros"] with an obvious curiousity of one who is always eager to learn something new,

 

[Riamah]

Even though it had already given Ailuros its name, she didn't call it by that. When it complimented her and said she was smart she smiled up at it.

Feeling a little more confident, the cat would attempt to get out of bed. Unless stopped, she would stand up and stretch slightly. From her feet on up, including extending her claws and tail. Once she was done, what it had said gave her something to think about slightly.

"Why couldn't I try to say your real name, Kosh? I'm Ailuros though."

The tip of her tail waved slightly and she looked just as curious about the answer to her question as it was about her name.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

Once her feet touched the floor she would feel it slightly sink in, not enough to lose her balance but more to highlight the strangeness ofher situation. The closest description would be like standing on a floor made from sourdough bread.

“Ail-u-ros. Such a lovely name. @Ailuros.” It said thoughfully, “Not to discourage you but your species lacks the ability to convey smells as images so my true name is not something you can express in mere sounds. But never fear, I have learned how to speak in your tongues so we can communicate. I bet I can read your mind, you are wondering where exactly are you, right?”

 

[Riamah]

Being without shoes, her feet and claws sunk into the floor under and she right away felt like crawling back onto the bed and cleaning her paws off. Resisting the urge though, Ailuros looked up at Kosh and listened to it again. Tilting her head when it mentioned she wouldn't be able to say its name due to not convey smells as images. She would look truly confused since what it said was accurate entirely.

"Thank you, Kosh. Yours is interesting too. I like it. To be fair, I did already ask where I am."

It had been when she first woke and before the riddle game had begun.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

“This is a place outside of time and space, a small void in reality that we have made into our home. Who are we, you must wonder [member="Ailuros"], that I refer too. Over time, your master Daxton has encountered restless spirits, malignant wraiths, not a few hungry ghosts, rather than let us languish in the hell of uncertainty, he created this void in time we call the Nexus. Each spirit carved its own place and created a home similar but not exactly like my own. So you could say this is a memory of home, a home that probably no longer exists in your universe.”

The creature said as it poured some piping hot tea into two white ceramic cups and offered her a small tray of delicious smelling bread.